Cervical Screening NSWCervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers—having a Pap test every two years is currently the best way to prevent it. Find out more about NSW Cervical Screening Program.

The program invites women aged 50 to 74 years to take part. However, women aged 40 to 49, and those 75 years and over, can also use the program.

Participation among 50 to 69-year-old women is reported here. In 2019, national reporting will move to women aged 50 to 74, as will NSW.

About this indicator

Each year, between 2012 and 2016, for women in NSW aged 50-69 years:

around half had been screened by BreastScreen within the recommended period of two years

around 25% had screened in the past, but had not returned within the recommended timeframe

almost a quarter had never attended for screening.

During the two-year period between 2015-2016, 211,686 (23.4%) women aged 50-69 years had never been screened by BreastScreen NSW.

Proportion of NSW women aged 50–69 who were screened by BreastScreen in the last 24 months; were screened but not in the last 24 months; and have never been screened by BreastScreen, NSW, 2012–2016

N = Number of women aged 50 to 69 years in population.

Notes:

1. Data source: BreastScreen NSW (population data are sourced from SAPHaRI, Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence, NSW Ministry of Health).
2. The participation rates presented here are expected to differ from figures published by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare for the same period, due to variations in the population projections used in the denominator.
3. The participation rates presented here are based on the number of women who live in NSW and are screened in NSW. Interstate clients have been excluded.
4. The proportions presented for the women screened in the last 24 months cannot be compared to the biennial participation rates for the same period. This indicator counts women aged 50-69 at any time in 2016, whereas the regular biennial participation rates count women aged 50-69 at the time of their screen in 2015 or 2016, as per the BreastScreen Australia Data Dictionary.